I just saw this amazing analysis by this user on Reddit about Joey and her 3 great loves; Dawson, Pacey, and Eddie. They refer to Aunt Gwen's speech in 3x19 where she states she stayed in a marriage where she felt "safe and comfortable" for too long until she found the one that made her feel most alive. They went on to say that Joey always went back to Dawson because he made her safe and comfortable but never made her alive. Eddie made her feel alive but because of his constant leaving, she could never feel fully comfortable. Pacey was the only one that made her feel alive AND safe and comfortable, as evidenced by everything that Joey said during her speech in 4x14, right before they had sex. They concluded that 3x19 was the pivotal episode that set the trajectory for the entire show and that Pacey was always going to be the right choice.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this point of view! It's so beautiful 😍 what are your thoughts? I wish I could send a link on here to the reddit post, they did such a better job than I did in explaining it all
That sounds like a great analysis -- although I will say this feels like a pretty cut and dry fact of the show!
Joey and Dawson’s entire dynamic was their obsession over feeling like they were “supposed to be together” because of their deep, long term connection, when in reality it was just the feeling of comfortability and safety that tricked them into thinking it was more/romantic. It’s also the reason they kept going back to one another because when life got scary, that was something that felt safe -- except when Dawson’s dad died. Dawson went an unexpected route in that circumstance, and that’s why it was such a good plotline.
Pacey’s entire thing in Season 3 was that he woke her up; challenged her, and to literally quote them, “made her feel alive.” It’s a quote that comes back in the series finale because she does the same for him. However, their deep rooted friendship that started years before but really grew into something solid and continued after their break up, allowed them to also form a bond that felt secure -- not just for Joey, but for Pacey. And for Pacey, I think that meant even more. I do think their love scared both of them, however. It was too intense too soon for such young hearts, and that pushed Pacey to spiral, and Joey to keep running for quite a bit before she was ready. But once she was, BECAUSE of that past foundation they had laid, she was able to feel safe with him, always.
Eddie definitely made her feel alive -- there was a huge spark there, and he definitely challenged her like Pacey did, but there was no foundation laid at all, and that kept them constantly tipping over. So when it came to really challenging her -- ie, asking her to go to Europe, etc -- she didn’t follow through. She couldn’t, because she didn’t trust the ground beneath them. Had that been Pacey saying “lets run to Europe,” she would have been right beside him -- just like she was on the True Love many moons beforehand.
It’s that balance you look for, isn’t it? Someone who is your best friend, but ALSO gives you that spark, that passion. Dawson gave her the best friend, Eddie gave her the spark, but Pacey gave her both, and that’s what makes them soulmates.
